There are no professional teams in Austin, but a minor-league baseball team and a new arena football team have captured local attention. College sports are very big, particularly when the University of Texas (UT) Longhorns are playing. The most comprehensive source of information on the various teams is the Texas Sports website, but you can phone the UT Athletics Ticket Office (tel. 512/471-3333) to find out about schedules and UTTM Charge-A-Ticket (tel. 512/477-6060) to order tickets.

Baseball

The University of Texas baseball team goes to bat February through May at Disch-Falk Field (just east of I-35, at the corner of Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. and Comal). Many players from this former NCAA championship squad have gone on to the big time, including two-time Cy Young award winner Roger Clemens.

Baseball Hall-of-Famer Nolan Ryan's Round Rock Express, a Houston Astros farm club, won the Texas League championship in 1999, their first year in existence (they now compete in the Pacific Coast League). You can see them play at the Dell Diamond, 3400 E. Palm Valley Rd. in Round Rock (tel. 512/255-BALL or 512/244-4209), an 8,688-seat stadium where you can choose from box seats or stadium seating -- and an additional 3,000 fans can sit on a grassy berm in the outfield. Tickets range from about $6-$12.

Basketball

The University of Texas Longhorns and Lady Longhorns basketball teams, both former Southwest Conference champions, play in the Frank C. Erwin Jr. Special Events Center (just west of I-35 on Red River between Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. and 15th St.) November through March.

Football

It's hard to tell which is more central to the success of an Austin Thanksgiving: the turkey or the UT-Texas A&M game. Part of the Big 12 Conference, the University of Texas football team often fills the huge Darrell K. Royal/Texas Memorial Stadium (just west of I-35 between 23rd and 21st sts., E. Campus Dr., and San Jacinto Blvd.) during home games, played August through November.

Fans of smaller-field, indoor professional football welcomed the Austin Wranglers (tel. 512/491-6600) to the ranks of the Arena Football League in 2004, and were pleased with their 8-8 record -- pretty good for a first season. The Wranglers play at the Erwin Center.

Golf

Initiated in 2003 and boasting a $1.6-million purse, The FedEx Kinko's Classic (tel. 512/732-2666), part of the PGA's Champions Tour, will be held at the Hills Country Club at Lakeway Resort April 30 to May 6, 2007.

Hockey

The Austin Ice Bats hockey team (tel. 512/927-PUCK) has been getting anything but an icy reception from its Austin fans. This typically rowdy team plays at the Travis County Exposition Center, 7311 Decker Lane (about 15 min. east of UT). Tickets, which run from $10 to $35, are available at any UTTM outlet or from Star Tickets (tel. 888/597-STAR or 512/469-SHOW). The team generally plays on weekends, mid-October through late March; a phone call will get you the exact dates and times.

Horse Racing

Pick your ponies at Manor Downs, 8 miles east of I-35 on U.S. 290 East (tel. 512/272-5581), Texas's oldest parimutuel horse racetrack. The track is open for quarter horse and thoroughbred live racing on Saturday and Sunday, mid-February through May (general admission $2; main grandstand general seating $3; box seats or entrance to Turf Club restaurant/bar $5). The rest of the year, you can see simulcasts. Call or check the website for the current schedule.

Soccer

From August through November, you can find the University of Texas women's soccer team competing against the other NCAA teams. In 2006, the team played its best season yet, placing third in the Big 12's regular season, but winning the conference tournament. Home games are played either Friday or Sunday at the Mike A. Myers Stadium and Soccer Field, just northeast of the UT football stadium at Robert Dedman Drive and Mike Myers Drive.